One of the most anticipated bikes of the year is the KTM Duke 390, which is expected to be launched in India by June this year. The Duke 390 is Duke 200’s sportier sibling which offers stronger performance. The Duke 390 is powered by a single-cylinder, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled 373cc engine that is capable of producing 44 HP of maximum power and 35 Nm of peak torque, mated to a 6-speed gearbox. Significant increase in power output of the Duke 390 over the Duke 200 means that ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) should be a safety feature on offer by the manufacturer.
KTM will be offering the Duke 390 with Bosch’s 9M ABS mechanism featuring sensors at the front and rear wheels that will be connected to an independent ECU for the ABS and will also monitor engine torque to optimize braking. The bike is also expected to offer riders an option of switching off the ABS system when needed. The Duke 390 shares similar hardware with the Duke 200, featuring 110 mm section front and 150 mm section rear tyres with 300 mm front and 230 mm rear disc brakes. However the 390 Duke features a 4-piston caliper instead of the 2-piston caliper found on the Duke 200.
The Duke 390 is currently being locally produced at Bajaj Auto’s Chakan plant. With heavy localization of the Duke 390, we expect KTM to launch the streetbike with an aggressive pricing of around Rs. 2.3 – 2.5 lakhs. The suspension setup consists of upside down front forks and a monoshock rear suspension. The Duke 390 is expected to have class leading driving dynamics with a power to weight ratio of staggering 290 BHP per tonne. Bajaj Auto is also considering launching the Pulsar 375 in early 2014, which will be sharing some elements with the Duke 390.
Source – AutocarIndia
